Safety mail box



Aug; 10 1926.

J. BERGMAN SAFETY MAIL BOX Filed August 1. 1925 I I 30 /0 18 aw wmwm fi Patented Aug. 10, 1926.

PATENT QFFQE.

JOHN BERGMAN, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

SAFETY MAIL BOX.

Application filed August 1, 1925.

An object of this invention is to provide improved construction for a mailbox. A further object of this invention is to provide in a mail box separate compartments for letters and other matter such as printed and package mail. r i I A further object of this invention is to provide means for retaining letter mail in a key-opened compartment separate from other mail in a mail-box.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mail box with a key-opened bottom adapted to be opened for the removal of matter therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mail box with separate compart ments for letters and other mail matter, a key-opened bottom extending across both compartments and a key-operated shutter for the letter compartment controlling communication with said bottom in respect to letters. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a mail box with separate compart- 5 ments for letters and other mail matter, a

cover common to both compartments and a special cover for the letter compartment alone.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for protecting and guarding the entrance to a letter compartment of a mail box.

A further object of this invention isto provide means for protecting and guarding a joint between the body and bottom sections of a mail box.

lily invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete device in closed position. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same. Figure 3 is a vertical section of the device, the top and bottom sections being open and the shutter being shown open by dotted lines. Figure 4 is a plan of the device in closed position. Figure 5 is a cross-section on the indicated line 5-5 of Figure 2.

In the construction of the mail box as shown the numeral 10 designates a shell preferably made of sheet metal, substantially square in cross-section and open at top and bottom and formed with an outstanding circumferential bead 11 adjacent its upper end.

Serial No. 47,437.

' side walls and back of the shell and to the lower end'of the vertical partition 12. A rod 16 is arranged in the central portion of the lower end of the compartment 13 arallel with the width of the front 0 the shell and is journaled for oscillation in bearings on the side walls of said shell. One end portion of the rod 16 is formed with an annular socket registering with a key-hole 17 in the side wall of the shell and a key is adapted to be inserted through said hole into said socket to oscillate said rod. A shutter 18 is fixed to and parallel with the rod 16 and is adapted to close the bottom of the compartment 13 at times and also is adapted to be turned by said rod to open position (dotted lines Fig. Arscreened window 19 is formed in the front of the shell in the lower part of the compartment '13 and a flange or guard 20 is fixed to said front and extends in an inclined plane over said window to protect it against the entrance of snow and rain to said compartment. A flange 21 is formed on and inclined inwardly relative to the front, side walls and partition inclosing the upper end of the compartment 18, in such position as to form a letter-slot 22 for the admission of letter mail to said compartment at the top of the device. A cover 23 is hinged by one margin to the top of thepartition 12 and is adapted to close the ingress to the letter slot 22 and compartment 13 at times and said cover is provided with an arched handle of fixed bail 2A for manual operation thereof. A cover 25 is hinged at one side to the back wall of the shell and is adapted to embrace and inclose the upper end of said shell and rest on the bead 11, the top or roof of said cover being arched above the cover 23 and handle 24:. A handle or bail 26 is fixed to and extends outwardly from the front portion of the cover 25 and is adapted for manual use p in opening and closing the upper end of the shell by oscillation of the cover. A bottom section 27 is hinged at one margin to the lower end of the back wall of the shell and is adapted to embrace and inclose the lower end of said shell at times. The side Walls 28, 29 of the bottom section are tapered from front to rear and the front wall of said bottom section is of considerable width and is adapted to overlap the lower end of the front wall of the shell. A hood or guard is fixed to the side and front walls of the shell 10 and overhangs, in an inclined plane, the upper margins of the side and front walls of the bottom section 27, thereby excluding rain and snow when said bottom section is in closed position. A flange 31 is bent inwardly from the lower end of the front wall of the shell and is formed with a slot 32 in its central portion. A lock-case 33 is fixed to the inner face of the front wall of the bottom section and a key-hole 34 is formed in said wall and is adapted to admit a key 35 to operate a lock having a hooked bolt of common form adapted to extend through the slot 32 and secure the bottom section to the flange 31. The same key, 35, preferably is employed to operate the lock and the rod 16.

In practical use, the shutter is placed in closed position as shown by solid lines. The cover 25 and bottom section are also placed in closed position and the latter locked. The cover 25 is raised by the postman for the insertion of newspapers, circular matter and small packages in the compartment 14, and the cover 23 is raised by the postman for the insertion of letter mail through the slot 272 into the compartment 13. The postman then closes the covers and the letter mail may be viewed from the front through the window 19. The patron may remove the non-letter mail through the open upper end of the compartment 14-, after opening the cover 25. Also, the patron can remove the letter mail downward from the compartment 13 by first turning the shutter 18 through the medium of the rod 16 and key and permitting said letter mail to drop into the bottom section and, thereafter, unlocking and opening the bottom section and removing the mail therefrom. After the latter mail is removed, the shutter 18 and bottom section 27 are closed again bv the patron I and the bottom section is locked. It is unnecessary to disturb the shutter or bottom section unless it appears there is letter mail to be removed from the compartment 13, and the patron may elect to limit the use of his key and permit others, having general access to the box, to remove the non-letter mail therefrom and advise him of the presence of letter mail therein.

Suitable means are provided for suspending the mail box in a place convenient to the postman and, for that purpose, angle-irons 36, 37 are fixed to the back wall of the shell 10 and are formed with holes adapted to receive bolts or screws whereby they may be secured to a post or wall. The angle-iron 36 may serve as a stop to limit opening movement of the cover 25.

I claim as my invention 1. A safety mail-box, comprising a shell formed with two upright compartments, one

compartment being closed and the other open at its bottom, a shutter mounted for oscillation across the open lower end of one compartment, a bottom section hinged to and adapted to extend across the box beneath both compartments, and a cover common to both compartments.

2. A safety mail-box comprising a shell open at both ends and formed with two upright compartments, a bottom for one compartment, the other being open at its bottom, a shutter mounted in and for oscillation across the open lower end of the latter compartment, a bottom section hinged to said shell and adapted to extend across both compartments and also adapted to be locked to said shell opposite its hinge, a cover for one compartment and a cover common to both compartments and adapted to extend at times across the first cover.

3. A safety mail-box, comprising a shell formed with two upright compartments, one compartment being closed and the other open at its bottom, a shutter mounted for oscillation. across the open lower end of one compartment, a key hole in said shell adjacent to one end of said shutter and designed to receive a key for coaoting with said shutter whereby said shutter may be oscillated, a bottom section hinged to and adapted'to extend across the box beneath both compart ments, and a cover common to both compartments.

JOHN BERGMAN. 

